I'm always skirting "too early" when it comes to putting up my holiday decorations, so maybe it's not a surprise that I'm also quick to take them down. I like to have the leftover bits of evergreen and ribbon swept out for the new year--fresh walls, fresh starts.

And fresh goals. So much of this past year was spent spinning between wondrous anticipation and just trying to get through. I'm ready to set some new goals, even if they're of the close-to-home kind.

First, I'm ready to start running again. I know the first few months will be a cold slog, but I need the quiet space in my head again. And, because I do better with a race to train for, I've picked a half-marathon in June. The course is hilly, but the idea is just to finish in good shape--not to set any kind of ambitious time goal--so I think it should be very do-able.

Second, I want to make time to breathe this year--to really spend some time watching these kiddos grow and enjoying them. I think that's going to mean saying "no" to some other things, which is the challenging part, but I like the idea of trying. That's a good place to start, at least, right?